as in sharpened
having an edge thin enough to cut or pierce something
using a finely honed butcher knife will make cutting meat easier
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in whetted
to make sharp or sharper
honed the knife's blade to razor-like sharpness honed his crossword-puzzle skills by reading the dictionary as though it were a thrilling novel
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rubbed
to make smooth by friction
honed the edge of the axe until it was amazingly sharp
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of honed
Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
That collective tightness, honed on their summer European run, was the impetus to get the crowd moving, and often surfing, through the venue.
—Daniel Kohn, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2025
Such practice is admittedly time-consuming, but like so many other skills that require hours and hours of repetition to perfect, reading ability must be honed through effort.
—Big Think, 16 Sep. 2025
Because of this dynamic, the skill sets and knowledge honed on campaigns or in legislative offices are in high demand, especially when outcomes are shaped by external forces like legislation, regulation or political pressure.
—Andrew Frank, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
This, in combination with her keen timing and delivery — honed onstage at the Annoyance Theatre and the Second City in Chicago — allows her jokes and physicality to play on multiple levels.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2025
Translating those sometimes contradictory experiences into something beautiful and engaging is a skill Guerra has honed over his career.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 15 Sep. 2025
Over millennia, marine animals have honed ears and sonar-like abilities to read their world in vibrations and echoes, turning the ocean into a place both alive with sound and fine-tuned to its subtleties.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 Sep. 2025
The technology has been honed for most types of vehicles First Student operates.
—Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
All these processes have been honed since then.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
That collective tightness, honed on their summer European run, was the impetus to get the crowd moving, and often surfing, through the venue.
—Daniel Kohn, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2025
Such practice is admittedly time-consuming, but like so many other skills that require hours and hours of repetition to perfect, reading ability must be honed through effort.
—Big Think, 16 Sep. 2025
Because of this dynamic, the skill sets and knowledge honed on campaigns or in legislative offices are in high demand, especially when outcomes are shaped by external forces like legislation, regulation or political pressure.
—Andrew Frank, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
This, in combination with her keen timing and delivery — honed onstage at the Annoyance Theatre and the Second City in Chicago — allows her jokes and physicality to play on multiple levels.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2025
Translating those sometimes contradictory experiences into something beautiful and engaging is a skill Guerra has honed over his career.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 15 Sep. 2025
Over millennia, marine animals have honed ears and sonar-like abilities to read their world in vibrations and echoes, turning the ocean into a place both alive with sound and fine-tuned to its subtleties.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 Sep. 2025
The technology has been honed for most types of vehicles First Student operates.
—Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for honed
Verb
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As Israel mobilizes an additional 60,000 reservists for its Gaza City offensive, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a showdown over mandatory military service for the Ultra-Orthodox community, a debate sharpened by the strain on reservists pulled from their families for months at a time.—
Amelie Botbol,
FOXNews.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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My senses sharpened, my breath slowed, and the chatter in my head went quiet.—
Daniel Scheffler,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Freeland agreed with Doyle that the negative coverage has rubbed some players the wrong way.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Vähäsarja vigorously rubbed some cups on Landers’s back—cupping creates a vacuum and stimulates blood flow—and turned the whole thing bright pink.—
Sarah Larson,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Starring Kaitlin Olson as Morgan Gillory, a single mother whose genius-level IQ lands her a consulting role with the LAPD, the series blends sharp humor with high-stakes investigations.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
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Slices of lusciously marbled brisket have a sharp, peppery bark, and the pork ribs are tinged pink with smoke straight down to the bone.—
Robert F. Moss,
Southern Living,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The outfit was effortlessly polished yet practical — the pants are an elegant swap for jeans and easy to wear with heels or sneakers, while the blouse-and-sweater combo is ideal for transitional weather.—
Nicol Natale,
PEOPLE,
16 Sep. 2025
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At the office, replace your button-down shirts with rugbies—they’ll look just as polished with your oversized blazers and wide trousers.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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An immigration judge has ordered Mahmoud Khalil to be deported to Algeria or Syria, according to court documents filed Wednesday.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Sep. 2025
-
After the property sale, Graham started fleecing his mother while transferring money from her New York bank and brokerage accounts into his own checking account in Miami, according to a factual statement filed with his plea agreement.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Honed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/honed. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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